Internal-combustion engine



April 29, 1930. ANDERQDN 1,756,621

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 15, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor g/Am 6&2 7 7763 Filed March 15, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Iwvewiow tlamw y A ril 29, 1930. G ANDERSON 1,756,621

' INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 15 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 29, 1930 FFHCE GUSTAF ANDERSON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Application filed March 15, 1928.

My present invention relates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to an improved internal combustion of the cam type.

In my prior Patent 1,203,563, granted to me on November 7 1916, for a device for converting motion, I have described and claimed the combination of a rotary shaft having attached thereto a cam of particular shape, and

which cam is in engagement with mechanism for converting reciprocating into rotary mo tion, or if power is applied to the shaft, then the device is capable of converting rotary into reciprocating motion. As a practical application of my device for converting motion is its use in connection with a heat engine, such as a steam or internal combustion engine, I have in my present invention devised a novel combination of an internal combustion engine, and my device for converting motion utilizes the fact that an in crease of power may be obtained at the rotating shaft by the proper application of power through the afiixed cam and operating links.

I am aware that it has been proposed to utilize the cam action in connection with reciprocating motion to impart power to a rotatable shaft, such means utilizing a. plurality of reciprocating parts interconnected together by links or toggle levers. As, however, in a heat engine the maximum power is obtained at the beginning of the stroke of the piston thereof, the mode of applying such power through the toggle levers to the cam affixed to the shaft is such that a relatively small percentage of the power applied is transmitted to the shaft, this being due to the fact that at the particular instant under consideration, the toggle levers are in the worst possible position to transmit the power applied to them.

In carrying out my invention I propose to apply the power to the toggle levers by a pulling force, as distinguished from a pushing force, and as at the instant the pulling force is applied is the most advantageous to obtain the maximum power by the use of the toggle links, I have arranged the cylinders of the internal combustion engine to fire on the 0 inner end of the cylinders rather than on the Serial No. 261,848.

outer end, as has been heretofore considered necessary.

The principal object of my invention, therefore, is an improved means for con verting reciprocating into rotary motion.

Another object of my invention is an improved internal combustion engine of the reciprocating type.

Other objects and novel features of th construction and arrangement of parts comprising my device'will appear as the description of the invention progresses.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with certain parts removed and other parts shown in section, and

r Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 1 with certain parts in section and broken away to show the interior construction.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an engine casing consisting of a hollow rear member 10 and a front member 11 oined together on a medial line by bolts 12 and nuts 13 passing through co-operating flanges 14. Formed integral with the members 10 and 11 and centrally located on the interior thereof, are bearing bosses 15, which bosses are in alinement with each other and are machined to house the anti-friction bearings 16.

Such bearings 16 are in alinement withea'ch other and 1n such bearlngs 1s rotatably mounted the main drive shaft 17 of the engine.-

The rear hollow member 10 is provided with a flange 18 for the purpose of attaching the same to the fuselage of an airplane, or the like, by means of bolts or other fastenings passing through holes 19 in such flange.

The casing members 10 and 11 form a housing which has formed integral therewith and symmetrically arranged about the circumference, bosses 20 and to the outer face of such bosses secured by bolts 21 combined internal combustion cylinders and mixing chambers that are designated generally by the numeral 22. This combined cylinder and mixing chamber unit 22' is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged webs or fins 23 for the purpose of cooling the unit by contact with the atmosphere alone. The units 22 are closed attheir inner ends so as to make the interior of the casing members and 11 a closed chamber, while the outer ends of such members 22 are open and are closed by, preferably, a sheet metal cap 24, which cap is provided with an opening '25 to allow free passage of air into and out of such open end, the main purpose of such cap 24 being to exclude the dirt and other impurities. The units 22 are each provided with the necessary threaded openings for a plurality of spark plugs 26 of the usual type, which spark plugs enter into the mixing or combustion chamber, and two spark plugs are provided therefor for each cylinder for the purpose of having a dual ignition system. Centrally located in the axis of each of the members 22 and se cured to the closed end 27 thereof is a sleeve 28, and slidably mounted in each of such sleeves 28 is a piston rod 29. The outer ends of each of the piston rods 29 is attached to the central portion 30 of a piston 31 by means of a taper pin 32. The central portion 30 is machined to be a sliding fit on the sleeve 28 attached to the closure 27 of the unit 22. The inner ends of each of the piston rods 29 are secured by means of a pin 33 to a yoke 34, such yoke being provided with a shaft 35 and on such shaft, between the arms of the yoke 34, is rotatably mounted an anti-friction cam roller 36. Rotatably mounted on each of the shafts 35 are the ends of pairs of toggle levers or links 37 and 38, there being one such pair on each side of the yoke 34. The yokes 34 and. therefore, the inner ends of the piston rods 29, are all connected together by the plurality of pairs of toggle links or levers 37, 38, as wil be clearly apparent from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3, and. therefore, from an inspection of Fig. 3, it will be obvious that if the upper right and lower left yokes 34, with attached shafts 35, are moved outwardly with respect to the centrally arranged shaft 17, that a similar but opposite movement will be imparted to the upper left and lower right yokes 34 and shafts 35. In order 3 7 that such reciprocating movement of the piston rods 29, as well as the yokes 34 and shafts vious that considering the upper right and lower left hand shafts 35, as illustrated in Fig. 3, that if we move such shafts outwardly we take advantage of the best position of the associated pairs of toggle links or levers 37 and 38 to impart rotary motion to the shaft 17 by the engagement of the opposite antifriction cam rollers 36 to the cam 39. As, in the position shown in Fig. 3, the pistons 31 associated with the upper right and lower left hand shaft 35, are in their innermost position, it will be obvious that if at this time'an explosive charge is compressed between the pistons 31 and wall 27, and such charge ignited, that the maximum power will be obtained from the explosion, and as r the pairs of toggle links or levers 37, 38 are but also communicate by means of pipe 41 with a carburetor 42. Slidably mounted in the member 40 is a valve stem 43'provided at its outer end with a valve44that is adapted to engage with a valve seat 45 formed in the open end of the member 40. Secured to the.

end of the valve stem,'remote from the valve 44, is a washer 45 and lying between the washer 45 and the end of the member 40'is a spring 46, which tends to keep the valve 44 in close engagement with the valve seat 45. Formed integral with the hub of the cam member 39,,or separate therefrom, as desired, but mounted on and rotatable with the shaft 17 is a cam 47, which engages with the end of the valve'stem 43 and moves the valve 44away from the valve seat 45 against the tension of the spring 46, the's'pring 46always tending to return the valve 44 into position on the valve seat 45. As usual, the cam 47 operates the valve stem 43 in proper relation to the stroke of the piston 31." In the casing member 11 and on the interior thereof'is formed a member 48 which is hollow, and at the open end is formed a valve seat 49, which is adapted to be engaged by a valve50 formed on or mounted on one end of a valve stem 51, that is slid ably mounted in the member 48. Secured to the valve stem 51 adjacent to the end remote from the valve 50 is a washer 52, and

lying between the washer 52 and member 48 is a helical spring 53 which tends to always force the valve 50 into engagement with the valve seat 49. Secured to the shaft 17 in any suitable manner is" a cam 54 which engages with the end of the valve stem5l to lift the valve 50 from the valve seat 49 against the tension of the spring 53. Communicating with the mixing and compression chamber in the cylinder member 22 and, therefore, with .the interior of the member 48 is a passageway ment of the pistons 31 andattached to the spark plugs 26 for the purpose of igniting the compressed charge in the cylinders and lying between the inner end of the pistons 31 and the closed plate 27 of the cylinder member 22. Also secured to the rear face of the casing member 10 is an oil pump 60 with suitable connections to the shaft 17. Associated with the mounting for the magneto 59 and connected to the shaft 17 is a hand inertia starter 61.

The pistons 31 being so associated with the cylinder members 22 that a charge of combustible "as is compressed during the initial movement of such pistons, and between the piston and the block plate 27, it is obvious that when such charge is ignited by sparks passing from the spark plugs 26, because of their connection with the magneto 59, that a power impulse imparted to the shaft 35 and, therefore, to the associated pairs of toggle links or levers 37, 38, is at the best position to obtain the maximum power from the ignition of the gas. I have found a marked increase in power over former construction due to the present form and further find that there is relatively little wear between the cam rollers 36 and the cam member 39.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a cam engine, a shaft, a cam secured to said shaft, a plurality of cam rollers in operative relation to said cam, pivoted connections between each roller and its adjacent roller on either side thereof, piston rods connected to said rollers, a plurality of cylinders equal in number to the number of cam roll.- ers arranged about said shaft and radially disposed with respect thereto, pistons s1idably mounted in said cylinders and connected to the piston rods, and means for imparting a power impulse stroke to each of said pistons in succession to move the same outwardly with repect to the shaft, whereby rotary motion is transmitted to the drive shaft.

2. In a cam engine, a shaft, a cam secured thereto and through which power is transmitted to the shaft, cylinders arranged about said shaft and radially disposed with respect thereto, said cylinders being arranged in diametrically opposed pairs, a piston and piston rod for each of said cylinders, pivotally mounted links connecting each cylinder of each pair of cylinders with both cylinders of the opposite pair, such pivotal connections engaging with the cam on the shaft and acting as toggle levers for imparting rotary motion to the shaft and reciprocating motion to the pistons of the oppositely arranged pair of cylinders, means associated with the cylinders for causing an outward radial movement of the pistons with respect to said shaft, whereby the action of each cylinder on the pairs of links connected thereto is exerted with a pulling, as distinguished from a pushing motion.

3. In a cam engine, a rotary drive shaft,

a cam fixed thereto and having a pair of oppositely disposed raised lobes alternating with oppositely disposed inset portions, a plurality of reciprocating pistons extending radially outward from the drive shaft and at substantially right angles to each other, and each piston having an element engageable with said cam, a pivoted bar connection between the inner ends of the reciprocating pistons, and means for imparting a radiallyoutward power stroke to each oppositely arranged pair of pistons simultaneously.

4. In a cam engine, a central shaft, a cam thereon having a. high portion and a low portion, a number of cylinders arranged radially about said shaft, pistons adapted to recipro cate in said cylinders and having a bearing relation to the cam, a series of links interconnecting the pistons for maintaining the pistons in bearing relation to the cam, and means for imparting a power impulse stroke to said pistons to move the same outwardly with respect to the shaft, whereby rotary motion is tranmitted to the drive shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have signed'my name to this specification.

GUSTAF ANDERSON. 

